Praise for Wirral adult social services staff and

MEMBERS of the public, voluntary groups, care services providers, contractors and social services staff have been praised and thanked by Social Care bosses for helping to maintain levels of services despite the recent weather conditions.The snow and ice have hampered transport across the borough but vital care services were still delivered to vulnerable people.

Day Services have continued with Social Services staff keeping an extra eye on the housebound during the cold weather, calling on family members and neighbours to help out if they can’t visit in person.

Adult Social Services transport staff supported their colleagues in Children’s Services, working late into Tuesday night to ensure children with Special Needs attending Special Schools got home safely.

More than 50 members of staff remained on call as unpaid volunteers over the weekend just in case people needed extra support.

Offers of help also came in from the Voluntary Sector – including the Red Cross, the Scouting Movement and the WRVS.

Social Work staff at the hospital also worked extended hours to look after patients who were being discharged home and 15 people who use services at Prenton Resource Centre still got to attend the pantomime at the Floral Pavilion with some extra help from volunteers and the local community.

Thanks from the council also went to everyone’s sterling efforts at contractors such as icare and Sure Heating.

No one missed a home-delivered hot meal and boilers were either fixed or replaced with hot air blowers on a temporary basis.

Domiciliary care providers also pulled out all the stops to provide support over the difficult period.

Department of adult social services director John Webb and Councillor Moira McLaughlin, cabinet member for social care and inclusion, have issued a thank you in response.

John Webb said: "Our staff have really pulled out all the stops to continue with service as close to normal as possible.

"Many walked long distances into work, worked from early in the morning into the night and one residential care manager even slept in the building for three nights to ensure she could get to work.

"Other staff made extra visits under difficult circumstances and all staff were extra vigilant to ensure the elderly and vulnerable received appropriate services during the bad weather.

"When a member of staff was unable to do this in person, they made sure that neighbours or family members could help on a temporary basis."

Cllr McLaughlin added: "We would like to thank everyone who pulled together last week – staff, neighbours, family members, voluntary sector workers and care service providers – to help to maintain service levels over this difficult period."

For up to date information on how the bad weather has affected services visit www.wirral.gov.uk.